Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2025 i Country Sampler Farmhouse Style

Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s in the Chicagoland area, we had some immense snowfalls. You could always count on at least one or two snow days off from school. That meant building huge snow forts, sledding on the old toboggan run and coming home to a cozy, decorated home to warm up. My mom loved to decorate (and redecorate when the mood hit her). My childhood home had a very country vibe (it was the ‘80s after all). We had a plaid checked sofa, braided rugs, wooden candleholders, oil lamps and wallpaper geese marching across the top of our kitchen walls. During the holidays, the outsides boasted bright red bows and greenery swagged over the front porch railing. When we were very young, we had a fake tree…

Does sugar in the water really help cut Christmas trees last longer? The idea that adding sugar to your Christmas tree water makes it last longer is a common myth, but science says it's not particularly effective. Research from the USDA shows that sugar water doesn't improve needle retention or freshness. BOTTOM LINE Skip the sugar—just keep your tree well-hydrated and cool for the longest life. I was invited to a friend's last-minute party. I don't have time to buy a gift. What can I give the host? So you're scrambling to put together a small gift? Shop your home for some ideas. Do you have a cake mix you haven't used? Tie a big ribbon around it, print out in fancy fonts a recipe that uses a box mix…

FIRST DAY HIKES First Day Hikes is an idea that has caught hold in state parks to encourage beginning the new year outdoors, from taking an easy walk to going on a strenuous adventure. Find a Jan. 1 event that suits your preferred location. https://www.stateparks.org/special-programs/first-day-hikes DINING DELIGHT If you're planning a few parties this time of year—and who isn't?—setting a pretty table is definitely part of the fun. Check out Lori's tablescapes, which she designs in a formal yet unstuffy style. Whether you're arranging for all the leaves to be put in the table for Christmas dinner or making a simple date night memorable, this decorator from British Columbia, Canada, is sure to spark an idea. https://www.instagram.com/dining_delight DR. LORI V Dr. Lori Verderame has a doctorate in art history and…

Long before plastic baubles filled store shelves, Christmas trees glittered with delicate, hand-blown glass ornaments. Among the most iconic were Shiny Brite ornaments—brightly colored, lightweight globes that became a holiday staple in American homes during the 1940s and 1950s. Founded by Max Eckardt in the late 1930s, Shiny Brite brought affordable, American-made ornaments to the masses. During World War II, when metal was scarce, the ornaments were produced without their silver inner coating, giving them a softer, pastel appearance. Post-war, production ramped up, and these cheerful orbs—often decorated with stripes, stenciled scenes, or glittered stars—graced millions of Christmas trees. Their charm lies not only in their vintage look but in the memories they represent—family gatherings, crackling fireplaces, and holiday magic. But Shiny Brites weren't the only glass treasures. German and…

Button It Up! Embellish wrapped presents with different button treatments. For this snowflake pattern from Claudia Reese, tie red-and-white string horizontally and vertically around a box. Use hot glue to attach two strings in an X in the middle. Glue a large button at the center and then add small and medium buttons down the snowflake arms. For the button-garland package, thread two-hole buttons onto a string and then tie it horizontally around the box. To make the ribbon design, glue a ribbon with a “Merry Christmas” sentiment horizontally around the box and then glue a row of buttons above and below it. Wrap a Winter Scarf as a Ribbon Wrap a gift with a gift! Use a scarf to act as a ribbon for your gift, providing two for…

Craft a Fluffy Wreath This winter pom-pom wreath has all the warm and cozy vibes. Choose a 2"-thick foam wreath base in your desired size and create enough yarn pom-poms to cover the front and sides. Use heavier-weight yarn in various shades of beige, brown, light green and dark green for a wintertime design. Attach the pom-poms to the wreath by inserting 1½” pins through the center of the pom-poms and into the foam. Distribute bronze-colored jingle bells evenly throughout, tying the bells to pins and pushing them into the foam. Hang the finished wreath using a twine loop secured in the foam by a T-pin. How to Make Pom-Poms With a little practice, you can create your own pom-poms for cute and cozy projects. Just follow these instructions: STEP…

It was late at night and Verity McPherson couldn't sleep. She pulled out her phone and resumed what she'd been doing on and off for years: searching for the perfect historic home. But unlike all those other times, when nothing she found was quite right, that night she struck 19th-century gold. “It was not in the best of condition,” she says of the mid-1800s farmhouse in Waynesville, Ohio. “Everything was dirty and broken.” Still, Verity and her husband, Ron, saw the house of their dreams hiding underneath. “I'm so glad we took the leap and decided to purchase it,” Verity says. After buying the house in January 2021, they spent five months renovating it before moving in. Ron, who works in construction, replaced all the siding and put on a…

DESIGNER TIP Preplan the arrangement of houses and trees on the stacked boxes and then snap a photo for reference. Magical Gingerbread Village Build a tiered stack of glittered gingerbread houses to decorate your winter table. STEP 1 Choose four square kraft boxes with lids in graduated sizes. Paint the boxes a gingerbread-like shade of brown and let dry. STEP 2 Arrange wood house cutouts around the stacked boxes, varying the house shapes and sizes and leaving space for mini bottle-brush trees. Paint the front of each house a gingerbread-like shade and paint the back white. Outline the details of each house with white puffy dimensional paint. STEP 3 Apply hairspray or spray adhesive to the houses and boxes and sprinkle with white glitter. STEP 4 With the boxes temporarily…

CRANBERRY APPLE JELL-O SALAD Serves 12 This refreshing Jell-O salad is a perfect alternative side dish to traditional cranberry sauce. INGREDIENTS 2 (3-ounce) packages of raspberry Jell-O 1 (14-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 Red Delicious apple, diced ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a glass 9” x 13” baking dish, mix the two packages of raspberry Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water. Stir to dissolve completely. 2. Add the can of whole berry cranberry sauce and stir until it is broken apart and mixed into the dissolved Jell-O. 3. Pour in the can of crushed pineapple along with the juice. Note: Fresh pineapple will prevent the gelatin from setting. Add in the diced apple. Top with the chopped walnuts sprinkled over the top, if desired.…